


Wonder Heights

by GreenEyedSinisterPants



Category: Alice In Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Alice in Wonderland, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Falling In Love, I don't know what else to tag, Loss of Parent(s), Love, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Quest, Self-Discovery, finding yourself
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-19
Updated: 2015-08-26
Packaged: 2018-04-05 04:01:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 21,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4164951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenEyedSinisterPants/pseuds/GreenEyedSinisterPants
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens when a father leaves his daughter mysterious letters about a place that doesn't exist on any map? What could possibly happen to someone who packs up their life, packs up their car and decides that this mysterious Wonder Heights MUST be where their long lost father is located after all these years?</p>
<p>Welcome to the world of Wonder Heights, where the tea is peculiar, the tarts are delicious and nothing is as it seems.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_"My dearest Ani, letters are no way for a father to communicate with his daughter but these words on paper is the only means I have to say hello. I could tell you so many wonderful and glorious things but let me start off with a wonderful bed time story of my many adventures while away from you my precious Anodien. . ."_

"Ouch Jake!" I yelped over my shoulder as I lay topless on Jake's massage table. I had been laying here for the past three hours to finish my back piece and was starting to think that Jake liked hitting that one spot on my lower back that made me yelp every time. My back piece had been a project in the making for as long as I could remember, but had only been put in effect for the past eight years or so.

"Sorry Ani," Jake muttered back as he went back to his odious task of finishing the shading he had been working on these past three hours.

"Whatever," I grumbled back in response as I put my attention back to the well-worn letter in my hand. It was one of the handfuls or so I had from my father, the wayward travelling tincture salesman of a dreamer that was supposedly my father. Truth be told I don't remember him much, he left my mother and I when I was seven. I remember vague glimpses of a bowtie, the smell of old books, a warm smile and his presence at my bedside every night for a bedtime story. You would think that with seven years together before he left I would have more solid memories of him but I really didn't. But I had his letters, his mysterious letters that started appearing once a year on my birthday after he left our family. His mysterious letters that stopped all together when I turned eighteen. The one I held now was from my ninth birthday, back when I still believed he would return, back when I still believed he loved me. Back when the promise of a bedtime story washed all my cares away. Back when I was so naive.

"All done Ani," Jake offered as I felt his weight lift off the table beside me and heard his needles turn off.

"Finally!" I exasperated as I sat up, not caring about the fact that I was topless. Jake was tattooing me in a blocked off area where visitors couldn't peer in. Add that to the fact that Jake was the most fabulously gay man I had ever met meant my nakedness wasn't really a problem.

Standing slowly on wobbly legs I stretched as much as I thought my poor abused back could handle and tried to peer over my shoulder at the finally finished piece of artwork as Jake slathered it in Tattoo Goo. Eight years in the making this tattoo piece was, and it was my only tattoo. But that was only because it covered the entirety of my back, up into my hairline, cascading over my shoulders and down below the waistline of most decent jeans. Eight years, and every scraped together penny to pay for it was well worth it. I stood backwards in front of Jake's floor to ceiling mirror and held his huge handheld mirror in front of me so I could see the entire thing in all its glory.

"It's beautiful Jake," I whispered as I ogled the magic that now encased my entire back.

"I will agree with you on that, probably one of the finest pieces I have ever done. Though I still don't understand why you didn't put Alice In Wonderland on there, you have _everything_ else," Jake mused, a long standing argument between the two of us since I first brought him my sketch.

"You know I have my reasons Jake," I answered in a huff as I angrily shoved his handheld mirror into his hands and went to stand by his station so he could wrap me up so I could put my clothes back on.

I fumed silently as Jake bandaged me up, not at him per say but more at the age old argument that I had not only with him but with my mother. Why no Alice In Wonderland Ani? Why, why, why? Because I always replied, because it was _his_. His.

Throwing on my black bikini top and then my men's muscle work out shirt over it I grabbed my bag and started to violently dig around inside its contents.

"Ani, Ani, Anodien!" 

I snapped my head up from where I was angrily tearing apart my canvas bag to look Jake in the eyes.

"Don't worry about paying me; this last session was on the house. You're probably one of my longest standing customers it's the least I could do. Especially since I have a knack for sticking my foot in it a lot," Jake replied sheepishly as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Jake, take the damn money," I replied as I held out the remaining $150 I owed him. It wasn't much of a tip but it was all I could gather.

"Go buy your mum flowers or something; she doesn't like me much anyways so maybe this will sweeten me in her eyes eh?" Jake said with cheek as he ran a hand through his sleek natural black hair that most rock stars would kill to have.

"Fine. Fuckin expensive flowers if you ask me," I sighed, well grumbled, into my chest as I shoved the $150 into the front pocket of my cut off jean shorts.

"It's not like you won't be back for something else later," Jake said to appease my guilt and I knew he was probably right. Not like I couldn't stash the money away for when my mom and I needed it for something at the house. It wasn't to say we were bad off but you know, shit happens.

"Agreed. So hey, I oh wait hold on a second. Hello?" I asked as I answered as my phone that was ringing its generic I don't know who's calling ringtone.

"Ms. Anodien Caril?" a professional voice asked on the other end.

"Yes?" I replied shakily. You know when you hear a tone of voice and an immediate lump of burning cold steel forms in the pit of your stomach? I was fighting off the after effects of just that. My mouth felt like sandpaper.

"This is the Nevada State Police. Your mother has been rushed to the ER and we would like you to come down to answer a few questions," the now discernibly male voice spoke robotically on the other end.

"Oh, oh sure. I, I'll be there. Just give me five minutes or so. I'll be right there. Thank you," I replied in my best monotone before hanging up my phone and sliding it into the other front pocket of my shorts.

"Ani? Ani, what's wrong?" Jake asked worriedly, I could feel his hands on both of my shoulders. Was he shaking me? 

"Ani? Ani? Damn it Ani what the hell happened?" Jake yelled at me. I knew he was yelling, but it was almost as if it didn't register with me. He didn't stop shaking me until I turned my unfocused eyes on his, it was like watching a movie of someone else's life.

"It's my mom. She's. I got to go the hospital. The State Police need me to answer some questions," I answered robotically. I bent at my knees as if on autopilot and picked up my canvas bag and put it on my bare shoulder. Apparently I had forgotten my hoodie. I hope it wouldn't rain. My mom always scolded me when I got sick for being out in the rain unprotected.

"Wait, what? Ani, talk to me!" Jake yelled again, only this time it was almost in a quiet voice.

"I have to go to the ER; my mom's been brought in. I have to answer questions," I replied flatly. I couldn't even remember if I had driven down to Jake's tattoo parlor. Guess I should look for my keys?

"I'll take you, Manny take over the shop for the night. I'll see you later. Come with me Ani," Jake replied with authority. I felt him grab my arm and pull me out of his shop after him. Was I walking? Why did it feel like I was floating? What if it rains?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when a father leaves his daughter mysterious letters about a place that doesn't exist on any map? What could possibly happen to someone who packs up their life, packs up their car and decides that this mysterious Wonder Heights MUST be where their long lost father is located after all these years?
> 
> Welcome to the world of Wonder Heights, where the tea is peculiar, the tarts are delicious and nothing is as it seems.

It had been a month since my mom's funeral, what a gathering it had been. Even in a place like Nevada where people are so innocuous, where a face is a dime a dozen, my mother still seemed to touch so many. There were speeches given by people who I never even knew my mother had known, people famous held hands with those unknown and swept under the rug when the choir sang her favorite Beatles song and cried. She was an artist, a painter of childhood dreams. I never knew how many people her children's books had touched. I could have sworn there were people as far as the eye could see, wavering mirages on the horizon. But never the familiar bowtie or the smell of old books. My father never showed.

An aneurysm they said. She couldn't have known that she had it, the silent killer waiting for it's time to take her away. It had been sitting in the back of her brain all these years and we had never known. She had been the picture of health, not even near 50 yet. Sure her hair had gone to that silver grey that was to be expected after the life she had lived. But she was healthy! I could still picture her now, outside on the lawn as she coaxed her many awkward Nevada desert plants to flower. They said she didn't feel any pain, that it was quick and instant, that it more than likely felt like she was going to sleep.

I didn't cry. I didn't cry as I gave my speech, talking about the wondrous things my mother had done throughout her life. I didn't cry when the choir sang and people clutched onto their neighbors in grief. I stood in black, wearing my clunky black Mary Jane's that I had always hated but my mother had always loved. My black A-line skirt had dusted my knees, my black and white striped stockings sticking out like a sore thumb. Let people snub them, but they were a part of who I was and my mother had always loved them. It had taken me three tries to tuck my black button up blouse into my skirt before I looked proper, but I hadn't cried. Nor did I cry when I fastened my mother's old silhouette cameo to the neck of my Peter Pan collared black sweater and stabbed my finger. It was a glorious silhouette of ivory on soft sky blue. It had been my great grandmother's or some such and it was, excuse me, _had_ been my mother's prized possession. Now mine. My shocking white hair with its electric blue under layer couldn't be hidden so I had swept it back with a black headband. Not like my hair would have turned too many heads, this is Nevada after all. There were stranger at the funeral than I, but I still had my mother's good name to uphold. Whatever that meant. 

"What are you going to do with all this stuff?" my friend Millie asked from across the room behind her stack of cardboard boxes.

"I don't know really. Mom's Will gave only a few instructions on what to do with her things, and most of it went to me regardless. I've sent everything to charity that she asked to be sent and now, well now I just don't know. Storage maybe? I could try selling some of it I guess, what I can I mean," I replied, my eyes still on the dainty almost fairy like china I was wrapping in newspaper.

"So you really plan on doing this? Boxing up your life after only a month and setting out on some crazy adventure?" Sam asked as he stepped around random objects and brought us another stack of unmade cardboard boxes.

"I have to, I don't have a choice. I've looked everywhere, so did my mother, there is no record of my father's death. I've spent the past month doing everything I possibly could to find him. He's all I've got left, I have to see if I can find him," I replied as I wiped the sweat off my brow. It was hot as hell down in the kitchen, with all the comings and goings in the old house the AC wasn't doing much to cut the vicious Nevada heat.

"Is it, is it because of those letters?" Millie tentatively asked as she came to grab a new box from Sam's stack. I smiled up at my two best friends, just two more crazy and outrageously fucked up people like me living in a city that was known for the outrageously fucked up. I had told them both about the letters I had received from my father until the day I turned eighteen. I had told them on the day I received what I had thought was my last one, but I had been wrong. I had received just one more. I had found it in the mail three days after my mother's funeral tucked in with all the other junk. A tiny brown envelope that looked to have seen better days, a thousand post marks stamped across the front of it. I could never fully see through the smudged ink to see where it was from. It had been the shortest letter to date. Just a few short lines.

_"Ani, my dearest Ani,_

_It's time now. Wonder Heights is waiting for you. Come find it and you will find me. I love you dearest daughter of mine. You are and always will be my most favorite Alice. Follow the letters and find me._

_Love Dad."_

"It's partly due to the letters yes, but I mean what else have I got right? I have plenty of money now from the estate, so there is no reason why I can't take some time off and see where this leads. I mean what if he is really out there guys?" I asked pleadingly, I knew I was laying on the puppy dog eyes pretty thick but I needed them to agree with me. I needed them to believe me and believe in me so I didn't feel like I was crazy.

"You know we back you a hundred percent Ani, but do you even know where to start? I've never heard of Wonder Heights. Do you even know if it's in this country?" Sam asked as he ripped into a bag of baby carrots and began nibbling on them while Millie went and got a pitcher of iced tea out of the fridge. I sighed as I went and grabbed three plastic glasses that hadn't been packed yet.

"I believe it's in this country, he never talks about leaving the US. As to where? Somewhere towards the East Coast maybe? I always thought Wonder Heights was some make believe place that he made up, like the bedtime stories he always told me. But now, now I have to believe that is where he is. So I have to find Wonder Heights and then I'll work from there," I replied with a shrug of my shoulders as I pulled down the box of fresh cupcakes Millie had brought over earlier this morning. Nothing like baby carrots, iced tea and fresh cupcakes for a mid-afternoon snack break.

"Yeah but how?" Millie asked as she picked up and started pulling the wrapper off a cupcake.

"I'll use the letters and see if I can map out a route, or something close to it," I said, I even sounded unsure inside my own head when I said it. And by the skeptical lifted eyebrows of my two best friends I sounded just as bad to them.

"It's all I've got guys. Let's just get this damn house packed up and then once that's all done I'll work on a better horrible plan. Sound good to you?" I asked sheepishly, hoping that they would just agree with me and leave it at that. I knew it was a haphazard plan at best, but it was all I had at the moment.

"Whatever makes you happy Ani," Sam said with a grin as he popped another baby carrot into his mouth and chewed it obnoxiously with his mouth open.

"Pig!" Millie scolded before whacking him upside the head with some newspaper that was on the table for packing. My friends were my world, my whole world at this point. But I needed to find my father, or at least try.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do I really use these notes for anyways?  
> Talk to all you lovely people?
> 
> Yes, yes that is what I shall use them for!  
> And other important things as they pop up!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when a father leaves his daughter mysterious letters about a place that doesn't exist on any map? What could possibly happen to someone who packs up their life, packs up their car and decides that this mysterious Wonder Heights MUST be where their long lost father is located after all these years?
> 
> Welcome to the world of Wonder Heights, where the tea is peculiar, the tarts are delicious and nothing is as it seems.

"I love it Jake," I cooed softly as I stared down at my newest piece of ink. It was another month after I had started packing up the house with Millie and Sam. Two months after my mother’s passing and here I was, back at Jake's where this whole crazy thing had started.

I had put everything into storage that I could, I had spent countless nights pouring over my father's letters syllable by syllable trying to map out some sort of path for me to follow. I know it sounded crazy and I still had no real idea where the hell I was going but it was the best I was going to get at this point. And if I didn't leave now I wasn't ever going to leave. I had plenty of money in my bank account that was readily accessible through my bank card, I had the rest in a savings account and stored in enough stocks to keep me going for however long this took. The house was closed up, put to sleep until I needed it again. Millie was taking care of my cat Dean while I was away, my car was packed up with all the long crazy hair-brain scheme adventure needing goodies I could possible think to take. That only left this one last stop.

"It's quite dainty if I do say so myself. Very simplistic and regale all at the same time. I think she would have loved it Ani," Jake said as he threw out his rubber gloves.

"I couldn't agree more," I replied as I looked down at it this last piece. It was a simple birdcage done with simple black lines, with a door swung open. A small black bird flew free of the confines of that cage, done in the same simple black work, with my mother's name written in a glorious script underneath it.

"How much?" I asked Jake as I stored a new tube of Tattoo Goo in my canvas bag for the trip.

"Ten dollars," Jake said nonchalantly as he made busy at the front desk of his parlor.

"Ten bucks? Bullshit! Jake, I," I started to reply but was cut off when he raised a hand to silence me.

"Eh. Enough. I said it was ten dollars, so it's ten dollars. Now are you gonna pay me or am I gonna have to call the coppers on your ass? Besides you're my best," Jake started to reply.

"Jake. I'm not coming back. Not for a while," I offered softly. I may be his best longest standing customer, but that spot was going to have to be taken by someone else now as I didn't know when I was going to be back in this city.

"I know. I know sugar. But hey look what we did," Jake said with an evil grin as I heard the door chime open and felt a blast of hot air follow.

"Surprise!" my two best friends chorused together. I simply shook my head at the two of them as they came in trailing a bunch of balloons; Sam wrapped in streamers like some Elementary school mummy and wrapped boxes in their hands.

"Guys," I started to choke out but couldn't find the words.

"I know, I know. You hate surprises. And you hate parties. And you hate goodbyes, blah blah blah. But whatever. We decided to do this so there is no escaping. So just accept it and move on," Millie said with a grin as Sam tried to unwind himself from streamers before giving up.

"Oh guys," I choked out. I really wasn't expecting this, not in a million years.

"Well you're about to go gallivanting off on some cockamamie adventure without us that is going to last only god knows how long. What did you expect us to do? Let you wisp off without so much as a Bob's your uncle?" Sam asked cheekily as he leaned on Jake's counter, still wrapped in gloriously ugly streamers.

"That was about it yeah," I replied sheepishly. My friends knew me too well as that had been _exactly_ what I had planned on doing.

"We know you too well. So we planned this. Now eat some damn cupcakes and open your damn gifts!" Millie said with glee as she opened the giant container of ridiculously decorated cupcakes. My telltale electric blue was present, along with my signature black and white stripes. My friends really did know me too well.

"Since we're in my shop you have to open my present _first_!" Jake said indignantly as he shoved a rectangular gift into my hands. I put down my half eaten cupcake before tearing into the gift with only slightly messy fingers.

"Oh Jake," I sighed over the heavy wooden object in my hands. It was a polished wooden plaque with a picture of me from a year or two ago right here in the shop set into it. Underneath was a shiny brass plaque that read _**"Anodien Alice Caril. My longest standing number one customer. It began with a sketch and ended with a story."**_ I felt my eyes prick in the corners, I swear I was going to cry but the tears just didn't come.

"I have one exactly like it that I can _finally_ hang in the shop since you have yours! I've been sitting on that damn thing since you started planning this cockamamie trip of yours!" Jake said with more flamboyant excitement then I have ever seen him exude.

"Oh shove it you big fairy, you just like saying the word cock," I replied jokingly as I blinked my eyes rapidly to abate any tears that thought they could break free. Jake's only reply was a swift middle finger as he took his matching plaque over to the nail that was waiting for it in the wall behind the front desk.

"Now mine!" Millie said excitedly as she elbowed forward a small square box. I shoved the remainder of my cupcake, more than likely smearing black and white frosting all over my face, before grabbing the small parcel.

"What is it?" I muffled out through my cupcake filled mouth as I shook it next to my ear.

"Just fucking open it and find out Jesus!" Millie exclaimed with rolled eyes as she went for another cupcake.

"Fine, fine," I sighed dramatically, sending red velvet crumbs all across Jake's counter.

"Bitch you better Windex that shit," Jake said, still with his back to the three of us as he tried re-straightening the plaque.

The three of us raised questioning brows at each other as if to ask how the hell he could have seen what was going on with his back turned. But that was Jake.

"Oh my god," I gasped as I pushed aside the electric blue tissue paper that was inside the tiny white box. Putting my hand inside I lifted out my mother's brooch, the one I had worn to the funeral.

"I made and added a special bail onto the back so it could be worn as a pendant, tightened the clasp of the brooch so it wouldn't come undone and stab you in the chest, and strung it on some really soft brown leather thong. I know you're not much for special occasion jewelry but I also got you a dainty black velvet choker that it can be attached to, that's tucked at the bottom of the box. God knows when you're going to want to wear it like that on this trip but I figured what the hell!" Millie gushed, sounding nervous.

"Oh Mills it's beautiful. You even polished the silver around it; I don't think I've ever seen it so shiny before. It looks almost brand new! Thank you!" I gushed in response, wrapping my arms around my thoughtful best friend.

"It really is the best," I whispered into her ridiculous cherry red curls before giving her one more reassuring squeeze. Letting her go I slipped the long leather thong around my neck and let the brooch fall right into my cleavage, right against my sternum.

"See? Perfect!" I exclaimed as I pulled my white and blue hair out from under the clutches of the necklace, letting it fall on top of it.

"Me, me, me!" Sam exclaimed excitedly as he pushed his own box towards me, leaving behind evidence of the three or so cupcakes he had already eaten on the top. Brushing off the crumbs I opened the Saturday comic strip newspaper wrapping paper and lifted off the lid.

"Only you Sam," I sighed with a shake of my head as I peered in at the boxes contents. One by one I pulled out the items and put them on the counter. A new pair of black and white striped tights. My signature electric blue hair dye, four bottles no less. Two things of high grade bleach for my roots. A pocket sized book of fairy tales. A copy of his band's newest cd. A new sketch book. And what looked to be a tool of torture and doom.

"Sam, I get everything else. But what the hell is _this_?" I asked as I held it up, trying to figure out how to open the contraption without taking off a finger.

"It's called a Leatherman. It's basically like every tool you could ever possibly need in any situation. I think the only thing it _won’t_ do for you is change the oil in your car. But that's pretty much about it," Sam said with a proud grin.

"Goofball," I chuckled as I mimed to hit him upside the head. I was going to enjoy this day, this last day with my friends in my home city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Down, down the Rabbit hole


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when a father leaves his daughter mysterious letters about a place that doesn't exist on any map? What could possibly happen to someone who packs up their life, packs up their car and decides that this mysterious Wonder Heights MUST be where their long lost father is located after all these years?
> 
> Welcome to the world of Wonder Heights, where the tea is peculiar, the tarts are delicious and nothing is as it seems.

"Don't. You. Even. Think. About. DYING!" I yelled at my car. My perfectly healthy Subaru. My perfectly healthy Subaru that had gotten me this far on my damn trip and now it was bloody fucking dying! I had taken such good care of it these past almost four months! I had changed tires; I had changed oil, gotten tune ups and checkups when I had heard even the slightest rattle or shake. My car had been my constant companion on my road trip and we had seen almost ALL of the U.S. at this point I was pretty sure. I had backtracked so much that I was pretty sure that after almost four months of desperate driving, using a handful of letters as my guide, that I had canvassed almost all of this entire country. And still no Wonder Heights. Not even a teeny tiny glimpse of this mysterious town that I was beginning to think was anything but a myth, a bedtime story for a little girl told to her via letters by her wastrel of a father.

"Oh come on now," I almost cried at my car as it did its best dramatic sputtering dying act as I coaxed it into a gas station that looked like it hadn't seen a customer in years.

I sighed dejectedly as my car sputtered out its last breath and then died completely beneath me. I let my head rest on the steering wheel for just a moment and felt tears finally break from my eyelids and slide down my cheeks. I didn't cry when my mom past, I didn't cry at her funeral nor when I packed up my life long home. I didn't cry when I left my friends and old life behind. No, no I cried when my trusty car died underneath me when I was no closer to finding my father in some backwater sticks town with no clue what to do next.

"Oh Suzy, Suzy, Suzy," I sighed to my car that I had lovingly named Suzy so many years ago. Suzy the Subaru. It had been funny at the time.

"What am I going to do now?" I whispered to my car as I felt silent tears drip down my face and off my chin, whispered to my car as if she would respond. I let my eyes close for just a second but felt them slam open when I heard a tapping at my side window. I had no form of protection but I felt my hand slide towards my metal water bottle that I knew was full of water. Not likely to kill an attacker but could possibly knock them out. Slowly I sat up and turned to face the knocker on my window. I wanted to exhale when I saw the person waiting with a concerned smile on their face on the other side of my window but didn't as I knew bad people came in all shapes and sizes. Slowly I rolled my window down a crack, enough to be able to speak to the man outside.

"Hello?" I asked tentatively.

"Hun you havin' some kind of car trouble or somethin'?" the kind looking elderly man asked as he pointed towards the smoking hood of my car.

"I guess you could say that. I don't really know," I answered with a sigh. This just wasn't very fair at all.

"Oh Henry, give the poor girl some space. She probably has no idea what's going on or where she is," an elderly female sounding voice sound from behind my car. I turned around to see an old beat up red truck parked a few feet away from my now busted ass car. I smiled as an elderly woman in well-worn farm clothes came out of the passenger side and approached my car just as her husband took a few steps back from my car. The woman, I guessed she was Henry's wife, stood beside him and kindly held her hands together in front of her dusty overalls. Taking a deep breath I let go my water bottle weapon and got out of my car. I looked down at myself as I closed the door behind me and wanted to laugh a little. If it was going to be anyone afraid it should have been the elderly couple in front of me. Here I was in black flip-flops, black and white striped tights that I had cut off so they resembled leggings, tattered old cut off jean shorts that use to be my mother’s back in the 80's and a black motorcycle men's work out shirt with my black bikini top clearly visible. Add my outrageous hair and the fact that I had been in the car three days since my last motel stop and I probably looked incredibly frightening.

"Uh yeah, I don't really know what's happened. I've been keeping good care of her on my trip and she was as healthy as a horse at my last stop at a mechanic for an oil change. I guess, I guess she's just having a bad day," I replied, hoping to not sound like I had just been crying. 

"Hun, I wouldn't call this a bad day. I'd say she's bout due to be put out to pasture," Henry said soothingly as he waved smoke out of his way as he fought his way to the hood of my car. A whole new mushroom cloud of smoke broke free when he lifted Suzie's hood.

"Oh dear," the kind woman beside me let out as Henry bent over my engine coughing and sputtering from the smoke and fumes. I even felt her gently pat my arm, her hands felt like rough hide worn smooth from years of use.

"Lady I don't think you'll be getting anywhere in this car tonight. I can call my nephew and have him tow it to the shop here in town and someone can take a look at it tomorrow if you'd like. I don't know but they might be able to work some magic on her and getting her runnin' for ye again," Henry said as he wiped his brow with the red bandana from the front pocket of his coveralls before letting down my hood.

"Uh thank you, that would be amazing. Is there somewhere I could stay for the night?" I asked as gratefully as Henry pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number on it.

"There's a motel in town, a Motel 6 I think. Me and my Henry could give you and your stuff a ride down there if you'd like," the woman beside me offered.

"Oh thank you, that would be amazing," I replied, trailing off as I didn't know the woman's name.

"Izzy, John will be here in bout ten minutes or so as he was just at the Crawson's helping them get their damn tractor un-stuck again," Henry replied as he closed his phone and slipped it into his pocket.

"Well let's use those ten minutes to get your stuff into the back of our truck. Come on Henry, don't make this poor girl lug it all herself," Izzy scoffed lovingly as I went to pop my trunk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the adventure really begins. . .
> 
> Sorry it's slightly filler-esque. . . Can't be helped sometimes.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when a father leaves his daughter mysterious letters about a place that doesn't exist on any map? What could possibly happen to someone who packs up their life, packs up their car and decides that this mysterious Wonder Heights MUST be where their long lost father is located after all these years?
> 
> Welcome to the world of Wonder Heights, where the tea is peculiar, the tarts are delicious and nothing is as it seems.

I woke when my alarm clock went off at eight a.m. and I almost hit the snooze button when I remembered why I needed to get up that early. Jumping out of bed I dashed into the shower in my room, blissfully yearning to use the bathtub but knowing I didn't have the time. Scrubbing myself down as quickly as I could without taking off skin I got out and got myself dry. I figured going for less frightening and easier going was going to help me best today. I dried my bangs and most of my hair before throwing it up into a ponytail. I threw on my jean shorts from the other day but forwent the striped tights before slipping on socks and my hiking boots this time instead. I slipped on a white v-neck t-shirt, grabbed my gray hoodie and my canvas bag before dashing out my front door. At the front desk I asked about the garage where my car had been towed last night and got walking directions. It looked like good ol' Suzy was only a five minute walk or so away. Thank you small towns!

I snagged a bottle of orange juice and a bagel from the breakfast area before running out the front door into the nine a.m. morning sunshine. Sliding down my black sunglasses I looked down at my scribbled notes and started on my way.

**-xXx-**

"Hi, excuse me?" I called out into the emptiness that was the front, well _only_ , room of the garage my car was supposedly at.

"Oh hello!"

"Dear sweet Jesus!" I exclaimed, a hand flying to my chest to stop the thudding in my chest as an oil covered man about a foot shorter than me popped up from behind the counter. I could have sworn he wasn't there when I first came in looking for someone!

"No, no that's not me. My name's Carl. I suppose you're the nice lady with the not so nice Subaru that was brought in last night?" Carl asked genuinely. What was up with the people in this town?

"That would be me. How bad is it? Is Suzy gonna make it?" I asked hopefully, crossing the fingers on my free hand hanging below the counter.

"Ahh, well ya see. I don't know. She's pretty beat up, in pretty bad condition. It's gonna take me a while to get parts that I need and then to get her fixed up right. Are you headed somewhere important? Have a deadline you need to catch? We don't have an airport nearby, or even a bus station. But we do have a train station that could get you somewhere, or at least somewhere that has better transportation if you're needing to be somewhere," Carl offered kindly as he cleaned his oil stained hands on a bandana.

"Well ahh, I don't really know where I'm heading. I mean, I have an idea of where I'm supposed to end up. I just don't know how to get there," I explained, trying to make as much sense of my trip as I could.

"Ahh, I see. I see. I had a trip or two like that back in my hay day. Why don't you go grab some breakfast down at Sarah's Cafe, it's just around the corner. Get something to eat and ask Sarah to show you the train schedule. Maybe a stop on it be just what you need. Adventures are a funny thing you know, you never know quite where you're going till you get there," Carl offered with a crinkle eyed smile.

"But I have breakfast," I offered as I held up my now half empty bottle of orange juice and my still untouched bagel that I had planned on eating here while I waited for my car. Looks like my car was going to take longer than breakfast.

"Oh that's not breakfast. Here, let me take those for you," Carl said as he quickly snatched the two pathetic items out of my hands before I could even register what he had said.

"Hey!" I yelped, wondering why I was so attached to a pretty awful breakfast when things came down to it.

"Go get yourself down to Sarah's and get a good breakfast in you. Your car Suzy will still be here when you're done. And don't forget to ask about the train schedule. Just around the corner, now go," Carl said as he shooed me out the door.

In a daze I found myself back out into the early morning sunshine and as if on cue my stomach growled loudly at me. Looking down at my stomach in mock betrayal I decided to take the mechanic's advice and find this Sarah's Cafe and get a real solid meal into me. And speaking of mechanics, he had to be the cleanest and nicest smelling mechanic I had ever encountered. Not even his shop smelled.

"Apples," I spoke out loud to myself as I finally figured out what Carl and his shop had smelled like. And at the word apples my stomach growled once again, louder this time. Taking that as my cue to get moving before my stomach started devouring me from the inside out I sent out around the corner.

Carl hadn't been joking about the just around the corner bit. I no more turned the corner then saw the sign for Sarah's Cafe hanging above a door, blowing gently in a breeze not fifty feet from me. I felt myself smiling despite all the circumstances of my life to date as I approached the cheerful cream and cherry colored sign. There were three small circular tables set up outside and a bell chimed cheerfully when I pushed open the old painted wooden door. This town was ridiculous when it came to that cheerful kind feeling. 

There were people scattered about inside, some sitting drinking coffee and reading the newspaper, some chatting over breakfast. Not too crowded and not too empty, just right. I almost caught myself smiling at how Goldilocks that sounded in my head but refrained when I approached the counter. There above the counter was the most magnificently decorated blackboard, covered in colored chalk drawings and the most extensive breakfast menu I had ever seen! I mean there had to be traditional breakfast dishes from all over the world listed! But little else as I scanned the list fully. Maybe Sarah's was a purely breakfast place? I chalked it up to that until my eyes cast down and I saw the most glorious display cabinet full of pastries and baked goods that looked almost too good to be real.

"Can I help you?" a voice asked from behind the counter bringing my attention away from the pastries to a face. A kind face. Go figure.

"Yeah, uh. Carl sent me down here to get breakfast?" I offered, unsure on how to proceed. I was use to city life, where it was all nameless and faceless. Where everyone acted like they were a robot. You went in, ordered your food, paid, ate and then left. There was no looking at people, no exchange of names, no so and so sent me down here. 

"Oh you must be that lady who had car trouble last night!" the woman behind the counter exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Uh yeah, that's me. But I'm not a lady. My name's Ani," I offered, hoping that if news flew as fast around here as I thought it did that the next person I met wouldn't be calling me lady but Ani instead.

"Well nice to meet you Ani, my name's Sarah," the newly introduced Sarah said with a smile before taking my hand and shaking it.

"Sarah? As in?" I started to ask but trailed off as I looked around the place.

"As in Sarah of Sarah's Cafe yes. This place is mine," Sarah offered with a genuine smile.

"Wow. So uh," I offered lamely as I looked back up at the board above me.

"Breakfast! That's right. What are you in the mood for?" Sarah asked enthusiastically as she half turned to be able to look up at the board as well.

"Uh, I have no clue?" I offered lamely. I really wasn't putting up a good batting average at this point.

"Do you have any food allergies? Any objections to eating meat? How much can you eat?" Sarah asked as she got out a pad of paper and pen.

"No food allergies, I eat meat and I can pretty much pack it away," I said with a grin. Food was one thing I was good at. Eating it at least. I was an okay cook. I wouldn't burn much when I baked even though baking was one of my favorite things. I could drown in chocolate croissants and die a happy woman.

"Well how about you sit over somewhere you think is comfortable that has a table, take this cappuccino and I'll make sure you get something to eat," Sarah said with a grin and she pushed me the biggest cappuccino I had ever seen.

"How did you know?" I started to ask but once again failed to finish a sentence.

"Your pin on your bag. It says coffee addict," Sarah replied before turning and disappearing into the back where I presumed the kitchen was. It must be bigger out back because I couldn't see how they could fit a kitchen and a bakery both into this space.

I took my ginormous cappuccino along with a printed Sarah's Cafe coaster and went to find a place to sit and wait. Finding a small circular table with a wing back chair that would have been out of place at any other place other than this cafe. No chair seemed to match and yet everything seemed to belong right it was. I set my coffee down and brought out the sketch pad Sam had gotten for me when I left what felt like a lifetime ago. I had doodled in it throughout my trip, sticking things in from my trip as I canvased this entire country. There were things stuck in it haphazardly, pieces and bits taped onto pages to accommodate my scribbles and doodles along with random thoughts about my trip. I opened up to the next blank page and place the coaster inside, without tape to hold it in place I noted at the top of the page where I was. Placing my sketchbook down I picked up my cappuccino and took a test sip. It was the perfect hot temperature, hot enough to drink but not burn my tongue on its way down. Smiling I placed my large cup down and dug out a black pen. There was nothing I loved more than people watching and doodling about nothing but what caught my mind's eye. And this town seemed to be full of people perfect for people watching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until next week my loves!!!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when a father leaves his daughter mysterious letters about a place that doesn't exist on any map? What could possibly happen to someone who packs up their life, packs up their car and decides that this mysterious Wonder Heights MUST be where their long lost father is located after all these years?
> 
> Welcome to the world of Wonder Heights, where the tea is peculiar, the tarts are delicious and nothing is as it seems.

"Here you are, eggs benedict with asparagus, homemade hollandaise and bacon on fresh stoned wheat biscuits. Grilled halved tomatoes, rye toast, grape chutney and fresh avocado. And a side of shrimp and grits with a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. And Sarah said to remember that after breakfast comes something sweet," the waiter that broke me out of my people watching reverie said as he placed the dishes down in front of me.

I'm glad that Sarah took me at my word when I said I could pack away food without a problem because this was the most incredible looking breakfast I had ever seen. And was probably enough to feed two, if not three, people.

"Thank, thank you," I replied with a smile before looking for utensils.

"Thought you might want these too," the waiter said with a grin as he handed me a set of utensils wrapped in a cloth napkin in Sarah's Cafe's colors.

"Thanks," I replied sheepishly as I took the offered items and went about unrolling them so I could put my napkin in my lap. Though with another look at the food I paused and thought I might need to put my napkin in the neck of my shirt like a bib.

"Do you want another cappuccino?" the waiter asked, apparently still at my side.

"Just a coffee would be fine," I answered with a smile. And with that I dug into my food with a zeal only a grumbling belly could produce.

**-xXx-**

"Oh my god I can't believe I _ate_ all of that! Good grief," I sighed in content as the waiter took away the last of my dishes when he brought me my last new cup of coffee. New cup that was currently sitting directly in front of me begging for something to be added to it.

"I told you to save room," Sarah's voice spoke from behind me as a plate suddenly appeared in my line of vision. Said plate was placed down in front of me and I sat there staring at the largest tart I had ever seen. I was pretty sure this was something that one didn't eat by one’s self. At least not all in one sitting.

"What is this?" I asked in awe as I poured just a smidge of cream into my coffee. With the prospect of having to eat this tart in front of me I didn't think I needed any sugar in my coffee.

"It's a cherry tart. Shaped like a heart. It's one of the staples from the bakery we get everything from," Sarah replied as she pulled a square table over near me.

"I was wondering about that," I replied with a grin.

"Wondering how and where we could fit a bakery _and_ a full kitchen into this space? Yeah we get that a lot. It's mostly all kitchen back there. We do bake our own bread mind you. But all the sweet treats come from this bakery just a bit aways. Called White Bakery. And the cherry tarts are their specialty. Always the size of a dinner plate and always shaped like a heart. And always delicious," Sarah said with a grin as she backed out of the way as two young guys gently placed the huge blackboard that hung behind the counter onto the table she had pulled close to mine.

"Want to share while you uhm," I offered as I gestured towards the huge chalk board as I was unsure as to what she was doing exactly.

"I'd love to. And I'm redoing the board for lunch as it takes about an hour or so to do," Sarah offered with a shrug as she took a damp cloth rag to the board, wiping away the beautiful art work that had showcased the previous menu. I stared on in shock.

"What did you think we only did breakfast or something?" Sarah asked with a cheeky grin.

"I had thought so yes. Do you really redo that board every time?" I asked in awe and disbelief.

"Every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner I change it. I never did anything with my art schooling so this is how I get to utilize it a bit. I find it very relaxing in a way," Sarah supplied with another grin as she continued to squeegee off the liquid color that was all that remained of the breakfast menu. With a returning grin I cut the large cherry heart tart into sixths and took a manageable sized piece before holding the plate out so Sarah could grab one for herself.

"So what are you doing here in Ending?" Sarah asked after a few minutes full of nothing but savoring the tart we were sharing.

"Ending?" I asked before going in for another piece of tart.

"That's where you are hun. Ending. Didn't you even know where you've been all this time?" Sarah asked with a large laugh before grabbing for another piece.

"No actually I didn't. Huh, Ending you say? And I'm only here because my car broke down as you well know. Actually as I suppose the entire town knows. But I'm only here temporarily until my car is fixed and then I can continue on my way," I answered with a shrug as I licked off the excess cherry filling that was stuck to my lips.

"A lot of folks end up here before moving on. I find it ironic that this place is called Ending when people only ever pass on through; no one ever really stays here. We don't have much but it's enough," Sarah chuckled.

"Train station!" I suddenly blurted out, startling the plate in front of me and sending the remaining two pieces of tart bouncing about the plate.

"Yes we have one. It's about all we've got. Why?" Sarah asked as she cracked open what looked to be a large box of colored chalk.

"The mechanic, uh Carl, said I was supposed to ask you about the train station! About getting a schedule or something! I got so caught up in eating that I totally forgot!" I sputtered as I started to feel frantic, like I was forgetting something.

"Don't worry about it. The station isn't but a few blocks away. I can get you a schedule if you'd like, it's pretty simple since it doesn't go many places. Look, there's one of the train conductors right there. His name is Mr. Whiteman," Sarah said as she pointed out the cafe's front window.

I followed her finger to where she was pointing only to see a kindly looking older gentleman dressed completely in white. A fraction of my brain temporarily wondered why he was dressed completely in white when conducting a train must be dirty work. Another fraction of my brain took note of his long white hair, brushed straight and hanging down his back twisted with a white cord into what looked like two soft flat ponytails. But the majority of my brain only saw him take out a large shiny gold pocket watch from his white vest and check it hurriedly before tapping it and running off in a huff. And that majority of my brain took over control of my body and I felt myself leap up.

Without so much a care I felt myself leaping out my chair and around my table, careful to avoid Sarah's chalkboard.

"Wait! Mr. Whiteman wait!" I heard myself shouting. And even though I was inside the cafe still I could have sworn he heard me because I saw him almost pause before continuing off at his hurried pace.

I forgot that I was in a cafe where I had just eaten a meal I hadn't paid for. I forgot that I had left my purse and belongings at my table, my sketchbook out and coffee forgotten. I forgot that I was in a strange town in some state I couldn't even name at the moment. All that mattered was getting to Mr. Whiteman. And I truly didn't know why. I just felt that I needed to get to him.

"Wait! Mr. Whiteman please wait!" I called out once again as I burst from the cafe's front doors. I saw the tips of the tails of his white jacket disappear down a street and without so much as a thought to the fact that I had no idea where I was going I dashed after him. I may not be a track athlete, and sure I may partake in smoking cigarettes, but I would have thought I could've caught up to an elderly gentlemen. No matter how fast he was strutting. But I never did. Turn after turn. Street after street. All I ever caught sight off was the back end of him hurriedly running away, the sound of "late, I'm late," trailing behind him on the breeze.

"Mr. Whiteman please! Wait, just," I stopped in my tracks, out of breath. "Wait."

I bent over at the waist and braced my hands on my knees as I tried to catch my breath. For an old man in white he sure could move. And it wasn't until I stood up straight again that I realized I had left the cafe, where my things sat and my bill unpaid, and that I had no idea where I was. I brought my hands up to my head and ran them through my bangs into my ponytail as I tried to figure out what to do next.

"Ani! Ani! Hold up!" I heard yelled from down at the corner of the street I had just turned onto before I got lost. I looked and squinted against the sun since my sunglasses were with my things still in the cafe.

"Sarah?" I called out in disbelief. I suddenly flushed as I once again remembered that I had run out without paying my bill. At least I had left my things as collateral right? With my figurative tail between my legs I made to walk towards her. She seemed to have stopped her jogging when she saw that she had gotten my attention but she was holding something in her hand that was still held above her head. Shit. My sketchbook.

"Ani, I think I know how to help you," Sarah said out of breath once we met in the middle of the street.

"How?" I asked as I looked at the panting woman before me holding my sketchbook.

"Your sketchbook. When you ran out after Mr. Whiteman the wind from outside blew open the front cover and few pages," Sarah panted, still out of breath. "Wonder Heights. You're trying to get to Wonder Heights," she finally added once she stood.

"How did you?" I asked, shocked, as I took back my sketchbook that she now held out for me to take.

"The page that was open had Wonder Heights written over and over again on it. Remember how I told you that the train schedule is easy?" Sarah asked as she turned us both back down the street she had run down chasing after me.

"Yeah?" I continued, unsure where this was going. I think I was still in shock over Wonder Heights being something other than a mythical place in my father's letters. I think most would call this shell shock.

"Well that is part of it. Mr. Whiteman's train only comes once a week, always for two days only. And his train goes only one place, Wonder Heights," Sarah supplied as she turned us down another street. This one looked familiar, and as soon as I saw her cafe's sign swinging in the breeze I knew where we were again. But my brain couldn't focus on that, or how close I apparently was to the cafe even though it felt like I had chased the white conductor forever and down multiple streets.

"You mean Wonder Heights is real?" I blurted out, sounding just as shocked as I felt.

"Well of course it is! Where do you think those cherry tarts come from? I've never been there myself but it's where Mr. Whiteman's train goes to," Sarah answered as she opened up the door to her cafe and led me in.

"I was starting to think Wonder Heights didn't exist, that my father had made it up," I whispered in exhaustion and disbelief as I sat back down in my wing back chair.

"Well you should rest easy now. The Wonder Heights train will be back next week and you should be able to catch it then," Sarah offered before picking her colored chalk back up as if she hadn't run willy nilly out of her cafe after me.

"Wait next week? I thought you said his train was here for two days!" I exclaimed, sitting bolt upright in my chair.

"I did. Today is the second day," Sarah offered, looking perplexed.

"But I have to get on that train! I have to get to Wonder Heights!" I cried, I even felt tears in the corners of my eyes. I was finally so close that I couldn't bear the thought of waiting another week. What if my father was no longer there?

"But hun, the train leaves in less than fifteen minutes. And Mr. Whiteman's train _always_ leaves on time. You'll have to wait until next week," Sarah offered with a sad smile.

"But this, this is a small town right? Couldn't he possibly hold it if he knew he had a passenger on his way? How full is his train normally? Couldn't he just wait for one more if we called him?" I begged, I was searching for a needle in a haystack at this point but after four months of doing just that I was pretty good at it.

"Well we could try. I don't really know how full his train is, but I'll see if I can phone over and have him hold the train for you. Give me a second Ani," Sarah offered before getting up and heading back towards her counter that blocked off the kitchen.

I frantically gathered my things. I shoved my sketchbook back into my canvas bag, stuck my sunglasses on my head and pulled out my wallet before heading towards the counter.

"Yes, her name is Ani. Yes thank you, I promise she won't be too late," I heard Sarah say into a phone that must be just around the corner of the partition wall. I gave her my most hopeful look when she reappeared around the corner again.

"They'll hold the train for you for a few minutes, but you're going to have to fly. Simon here will drive you to where ever you need to go to get your things," Sarah offered with a soft smile. I guess I looked as frantic as I felt.

"Thank you! Thank you over and over again! Times a million! You have no idea how much this means! I'll never forget this," I gushed before slapping down a hundred dollar bill and racing out the door after the waiter Simon who was holding it open for me. I cast one last look back at Sarah at the counter; shot her a smile and a wave before dashing out after my ride.

"Where do you need to go?" Simon asked once I had hopped into the passenger seat of his car.

"The uh, Motel 6 that's in town? I think it's your only motel really. Oh crap, and I need to tell Carl that I won't be back for my car for at least a few days," I rambled as the things I needed to do all of a sudden piled up in front of me.

"Don't worry, after I get you to the train station I'll go tell Carl that you'll be gone for a few days. Besides, if I remember hearing correctly your car was one stop light shy from the graveyard. I'm pretty sure he's going to be working on it for a week at least," Simon offered with a sideways grin as he pulled out of the last stop light before the motel where I was staying.

"I guess everyone here knows huh?" I asked as we waited to pull into the parking lot.

"Well it is kind of a small town so new news travels fast. And news about a pretty girl on the side of the road with a car up in smoke tends to travel even faster," Simon replied cheekily with a wink my direction.

I blushed horribly and mumbled something incoherent as I was saved by him putting his car into park. I nearly broke off his door handle as I tried to burst from his car so I could get to my stuff. I hadn't really unpacked so there wasn't much to repack, but I had no idea how far away the train station was. Like a whirlwind I swept through my room, I grabbed everything and just stuffed it into my suitcase. My large army duffel bag was still packed thank god so I didn't have to worry about that. I grabbed my computer bag and everything that was mine before tumbling down the stairs. I rushed past the motel's front counter and tossed my used room key onto the counter. I shouted a "thank you" at the man standing behind it as I made my way out the electronic door, I didn't have time for lengthy goodbyes. Besides I had paid in advance for two days as I didn't know how long I was going to be there getting my car fixed. So I was out another night's fee, for this I could swallow the like sixty bucks.

I nearly tripped over my feet and then my stuff as I bombarded Simon's car and waited for him to pop the trunk. I could move when I needed to and by the look on his face he wasn't expecting me back so quickly. I hurriedly shoved everything into his trunk and slammed it closed before running back to the passenger side before he could even help me load my stuff. Slamming my seatbelt in I tore through my purse making sure I had my I.D. on hand so I could buy a ticket.

"Am I going to be able to buy a ticket in time?" I asked frantically as the idea just dawned on me that the train conductor might be expecting me to arrive with a ticket already.

"Don't worry. We still have five minutes before the train would leave normally, and Sarah said we would be a few minutes late regardless. It takes five minutes to get to the train station and if I punch I can make it there in three. So?" Simon asked as we waited at the light right outside the Motel 6 parking lot.

"Punch it," I replied with enthusiasm. Here goes nothing!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when a father leaves his daughter mysterious letters about a place that doesn't exist on any map? What could possibly happen to someone who packs up their life, packs up their car and decides that this mysterious Wonder Heights MUST be where their long lost father is located after all these years?
> 
> Welcome to the world of Wonder Heights, where the tea is peculiar, the tarts are delicious and nothing is as it seems.

"Yes just a one way ticket to Wonder Heights thank you," I gasped at the teller selling tickets. I made it with enough time to scrabble to the teller window for my ticket with all of my stuff in tow. This time Simon managed to help and I'm glad that he did because I wouldn't have made it intact without his help.

I stood and caught my breath as the teller processed my request and finally took a moment to take a look at the train station around me. It looked like any other small town train station I guess, though I hadn't been too many of those. But I had seen enough movies that I assumed that this is what they looked like. Small, adequate and with people milling around and about it. Either catching train departures or just looking at the information bulletins and pamphlets. Sarah had said there wasn't much in this town and that people usually only passed through but there seemed to be enough of them today. And as if my thoughts had summoned her I caught sight of a cherry red and cream apron.

"Sarah?" I asked, shocked to see her standing there. With Henry, Izzy and Carl no less.

"Well you kinda over paid at the cafe. And this train is an overnight train. So we thought we would bring you some food for the trip. And to say goodbye," Sarah replied sheepishly, a telltale brown paper bag in her hands.

"All of you? Goodbyes? But I'll only be gone a few days at most. There are just some things I need to do in Wonder Heights and then I'll be back," I replied confused. Why did they think goodbyes of this magnitude were necessary? Especially only after a day of knowing me.

"You never know where your path will take you lady until you've gotten there. And you never know how long it will take until it’s over," Henry said with a tip of baseball cap.

"Well I guess there's some truth in that," I replied, feeling at a loss for the correct words to say. What did I say in this situation?

"Your car will be here for you waiting. It's gonna take me a week at least to get parts and everything so you take your time in Wonder Heights. It'll be here when you get back," offered Carl with a grin. I could smell his apple smell from where I was standing.

"I don't really know what to say, I-"

"Ma'am, your one way ticket. Your train is being held, you best get going. Mr. Whiteman doesn't like to be delayed," the teller interrupted. Which was just fine as I was still at a loss of words. All of this was all of a sudden going so fast. I almost felt as if I was just a bystander in this whole thing.

"Thank you," I offered as I took my ticket and turned back to the people who had helped me this past twenty four hours.

"Here, take this and run. You gotta make your train or Mr. Whiteman really will leave without you. Make sure you stop by the White Bakery when you're in Wonder Heights. And don't forget us my dear," Sarah said as she simultaneously hugged me and shoved my brown bag of food into my hands.

"Now scoot or you'll miss your train!" Izzy hollered after she had hugged me.

"Thank you all!" I called as I turned and ran down to meet my train. 

I was sure I was going to miss it even though it was only four or so minutes after the regular scheduled departure time. Frantically I looked for my platform and found it right where it was supposed to be. It was the most beautiful train I had ever seen, and those I can at least say I have seen plenty of. It was black, white, evergreen green and shiny brass. How it kept so clean I couldn't even guess at, but it shone in the sun.

"Anodien I presume?" a voice came from the train. I looked around and then finally settled on the white coat of Mr. Whiteman as he appeared out of the front of the train.

"Yes, I'm."

"You're late," Mr. Whiteman interrupted.

"Sorry," I replied sheepishly. I was only late by four minutes!

"Get on board; I'll come collect your ticket once we start moving. This is an overnight train as you know I presume," Mr. Whiteman said as he pulled out his shiny gold pocket watch again.

"Yeah, just found out," I replied as I started heaving my suitcase and other items on board the train. There didn't seem to be any other help that I could see.

"Good. Off you go. Can't be late," Mr. Whiteman said before disappearing back into his part of the train. Guess that was that.

After I had lugged my belonging onto the train I stored them near the exit where there was only a few other pieces of luggage. As I looked out into the train car I climbed onto I noticed how few people there were on board. Guess Wonder Heights wasn't a big tourist attraction. Might have something to do with it not being on any damn map I could ever find. Grumbling under my breath I took a random seat away from the other passengers. There didn't seem to be any assigned seating so I put both seats back and sat next to the window. I had my personal pillow in my duffel; along with a small blanket should it get too cold. But for now I just wanted to watch the scenery go by.

"Ticket please Anodien," Mr. Whiteman's voice spoke through my scenery reverie. I had no idea how long I had been staring out the window, watching the outside world whiz by at top speeds.

"Here," I offered as I held out my ticket.

"One way? No connecting train?" Mr. Whiteman's question cutting through the air between us. He sounded skeptical.

"Yes, one way. Yes no connecting train," I replied shortly. Why did it matter if my ticket was one way or not? Or that I didn't have a connecting train once I got to Wonder Heights?

"Interesting," was all Mr. Whiteman said before handing me my newly hole punched train ticket. So old fashioned. Usually people tore off a stub or something.

Once he passed by me I remembered my brown baggie of goodies from Sarah and everyone else. Not really feeling all that hungry but curious anyways I decided to open it and take a look. Curiosity killed the cat they said but then again, this was only a bag of food. Really good food if the smells emanating from it were any indication. Pulling down the tray in front of me I placed my brown bag on it and grabbed my canvas bag. Nothing like a little reading to go with a late snack. Besides, all of a sudden I felt famished. Like I hadn't eaten in hours. Which was impossible as I had only eaten a wee little bit ago. But I did what my stomach ordered me to do. Placing my book of fairy tales that Sam had bought me as a going away present on my lap I unfolded my brown lunch bag. The smells hit my nose and I could literally feel my mouth watering at the thought. Reaching in I grabbed the first thing my hand came in contact with. Bringing it out I saw that it wasn't food of any nature, but a pretty note.

**_"Dear Ani,_**

**_Ending may not have been yours, but I hope you find yours someday._ **

**_All fairy tales start at home._ **

**_And what are fairy tales if not someone else's life._ **

**_Remember us here in Ending. The place where your story began._ **

**_Yours,_ **

**_Sarah (and Henry, Izzy, Carl and Simon too)"_ **

I smiled at the dainty little note on cream stationary that had cherry colored swirls in the corners. It just screamed Sarah's Cafe to me, even her carefully written cursive looked like her and her cafe. Remember them? They acted as if I wasn't ever coming back.

**-xXx-**

"Wonder Heights Station!"

I jumped awake, dumping my bag and book onto the floor. I looked around, head still fuzzy from sleep. Last thing I remembered was reading Perrault's "Donkey Skin" and eating one of Sarah's cinnamon buns that were the size of my book. Looking around I saw said cinnamon bun still sitting half eaten on the wax paper it had been wrapped in. And in my foggy still sleeping brain I bet that if I hadn't sent my book flying it would still be on the last page of that Perrault story I had been reading. Guess I had been more tired than I had thought. Groggily I gathered up my things and re-wrapped my cinnamon bun for later. Once I had everything that I had brought with me to my seat I went for my luggage, my suitcase and large army duffel bag. From the lack of other luggage I assumed the other passengers had gotten off. Slowly I followed the suit of those that had gotten off before me. As prophetic as that sounded I felt more like a zombie shuffling to a feeding. My stuff felt three times as heavy as it should and my feet felt like they were surrounded by concrete. The sun blinded me as I broke out of the train and as I hadn't checked my cell phone I had no idea what time it was. Actually, I had no idea about anything now that I was here. And I almost didn't believe I was here as it was.

As I stumbled out onto the train platform, not knowing what my next step would be I realized just how _empty_ it was. I mean not that I figured train stations to be a hot spot for activity; I at least figured there would be people about. Shouldering my army duffel I set out about the train station, there had to be an information booth or something like that around here. I didn't even know how big Wonder Heights was for crying out loud.

After five minutes of the most pathetic searching I had ever managed I found an information booth a few feet from the front entrance of the train station. And as my luck was going, there was a wooden gate pulled over the window.

"Closed until I get back. Wonderful," I muttered to myself as I read the punctual little sign hanging on the closed information booth window.

"Just what I needed. Now what do I do?" I sighed as I looked around the information booth for anything helpful at all. Aren't these things supposed to have pamphlets or bulletin boards, or even a "You Are Here" type map?

"Lost little one?" a voice almost purred from beside me. Well as close to a purr as a human could come, but it was definitely a purr. Turning to face my questioner I came face to face with the shabbiest looking man I had ever seen outside a homeless shelter. Do you ever see those guys, on the street or in a movie, that looked like they use to hang out at some beat poetry dive? Like they use to be someone and no longer were? A dapper sort of fellow if it weren't the tears in his tweed coat or the patches on his knees? That was this guy. The only thing that stood out about him was his glaringly purple button up shirt. Who wears purple that loud?

"Yes, I suppose I am. I'm looking. Well I'm looking for something. A place to stay maybe? Directions? Something, anything really," I offered with a defeated sigh. I really had no idea what I was doing or why I was seeking advice some fellow I didn't even know. Maybe it was the purple, maybe it was the fact that he looked like he used to be something. Or maybe it was the ink stained finger tips that were clutching a small black journal. Definitely a poet, at least by hobby now. 

"To get where you're going you must get going first," the shabby man wearing purple replied with a sly grin before taking a pen from behind his ears and jotting something down in his black journal.

"Excuse me?" I asked confused.

"Where do you want to go?" the man asked before licking his pen and continuing with his writing.

"I don't know," I replied honestly.

"Then," the man replied, finally stopping his note taking to look up and look me in the eyes, "it doesn't matter."

"Well that's no good," I huffed. Was I ever going to get a straight answer?

"Cats sleep anywhere. Any table, any chair. Top of piano, window ledge. In the middle, on the edge. Open drawer, empty shoe. Anybody's lap will do. Fitted in a cardboard box. In the cupboard with your frocks. They don't care. Cats sleep anywhere!" the man replied, a cheeky grin from ear to ear.

I felt my head start to throb. Closing my eyes for just a moment, I brought my fingers to my temples to quickly rub them.

"That's not really, hey wait! Where did you go?" I asked, well apparently I asked the wind because the man I had been talking to wasn't there when I opened my eyes. I swore I only closed them for a second.

"Oh come on," I sighed on the verge of frustrated tears. And then I heard it, like he was just behind me, or somewhere off and the wind carried it over to me. Like in a crowd or a field. His laughter. Well what I assumed was his laughter, it sounded like it would come from him.

"Cats sleep anywhere. Any table, any chair. . ." was all I heard on the wind before it was gone.

"Got it. I don't know where I want to go, so it apparently doesn't matter. And something about cats sleeping anywhere they want. Great. Welcome to Wonder Heights Ani," I gruffed to myself as I leafed through what few pamphlets there were. 

"You've got to be kiiidding me," I dragged out as I found a crumpled pamphlet shoved down in the bottom of the display unit that held them all. There in my hands as I smoothed it out was a picture of a giant golden _sleeping_ cat.

"Duchess's Golden Bed and Breakfast," I read out loud. The irony was strong. 

"Cats sleep anywhere," I grumbled as I shoved the pamphlet into my canvas bag and shouldered my duffel one last time. I guess there is no better way to find out about a new town then to walk it. Just wish I didn't have to do it lugging my stuff with me. Was Wonder Heights big enough to have a taxi service? I felt like screaming in frustration. Swallowing my unuttered scream I shouldered my things and stepped away from the closed information booth and made to make my first adventure in Wonder Heights. The pamphlet had said the bed and breakfast was on Fairest street, so all I had to do was find that street. Somehow.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when a father leaves his daughter mysterious letters about a place that doesn't exist on any map? What could possibly happen to someone who packs up their life, packs up their car and decides that this mysterious Wonder Heights MUST be where their long lost father is located after all these years?
> 
> Welcome to the world of Wonder Heights, where the tea is peculiar, the tarts are delicious and nothing is as it seems.

“Excuse me,” I uttered at the bored looking gentleman hunched over a hostess’s podium scribbling randomly on a piece of paper, Hearts, over and over again. I would have chuckled at how middle school it was if he wasn’t ignoring me.

“Excuse me,” I said a little bit louder when he seemed to have not heard me the first time.

“Hey!” I almost shouted as I reached forward and tapped him on the shoulder.

“What do you want?” the bored, hostess I assumed, replied without even looking up from his doodling.

“I need some help getting directions,” I answered as polite as I could muster, the kid’s tone of voice was grating on my nerves. Wasn’t he a hostess? Wasn’t his job to greet people as they came up to the restaurant and then to seat them? I made a mental note to _not_ come by this restaurant while I was here staying.

“Do I look like the information booth to you?” the kid replied back. What an ass hat!

“Actually the information booth was closed and locked up when I was there. And yet it was still more informative than you!” I snapped. My past two, well I guess three now, days had been tough, strange, and a few other things and they were apparently finally starting to get to me. I just wanted to find a place to stay, to put my things down and take a moment to breathe and figure out what exactly the hell I was doing. Because at this point I really didn’t know. And I hadn’t called home in three days which meant Jake, Millie and Sam would be wondering where they had to fly off to to collect my body from some backwater hospital. I just wanted answers, any answers. Even the simple easy ones like directions to the bed and breakfast I was looking for!

“Hey it’s not my fault that you,” the kid in front of me started to snap back but stopped mid-sentence for apparently no reason, his head still down. But from the way he stopped so abruptly and seemed to freeze into a statue I held back my retort, at least for the moment. And then I heard it, the telltale click clack of stiletto heels on a hard floor. The sound seemed to echo as if we were in a small dark narrow room instead of outside a restaurant.

“Nate, that is no way to talk to a customer. Are you going to seat this young woman or not?” a crisp sharp voice came out from a shadow behind the newly named Nate. The voice sounded cold and I knew there would be a smile attached to the voice that would make you think you had heard the tone wrong.

“Uh, no ma’am. I’m sorry miss, would you like a table for one?” Nate asked as he stood and straightened his sharp work attire, almost like a military uniform it seemed. He wore black slacks so starched I could see the creases run down the front of his legs that neatly ended right above his dress shoes, no baggy saggy cuffs here! He had on a blood red button up shirt and as he stood I saw that it had a black heart embroidered on the left breast which was mirrored in the black tie he was a wearing that had three small red hearts embroidered in a line at the bottom.

“No, uh, as I said before I’m just looking for directions,” I stuttered out. Nate had turned on some internal switch it seemed because the smile he was beaming at me was making me squint from its shine. I felt as if I almost needed an extra layer of sun block just to protect myself from its wattage. That being said, once he stood up and straightened himself he was quite beautiful. I mean he was so striking in fact that I almost wanted to poke him, nobody was that(i) good looking. Not in real life that is.

“Oh why my dear, I’m sorry. However could we assist you? Where are you trying to get to?” the crispy sharp voice asked as the body attached to it appeared from the shadows behind Nate.

“I, uh, the, uh,” I stuttered as I stared at the woman now standing sharply next to Nate. She visually was just as sharp looking as her voice had sounded. She was tall, especially for a woman, and she seemed to be all thin wiry limbs and sharp angles. One of those people who you would like to sit on and force feed a cheeseburger. Or eight. But that wasn’t what made her so sharp looking, though it went a long way to adding to the effect. It was her attire and how she stood, so at attention with her sleek black clipboard in hand I would think she was a drill Sargent in a past life. She had on a black pencil skirt so tight and straight that I wondered how she could even walk, let alone in her three or so inch shiny red stiletto heels. She wore what could only be a perfectly tailored blood red suit jacket on top, over a white blouse with small jabot. But what got me the most, set me to stuttering, was her hair. It was cropped incredibly close to her head and dyed the most electrifying shade of cherry red. Very Annie Lennox like. And to match, her lips were painted an almost identical shade of red.

“Cat got your tongue dear?” the woman asked, a quiver of a smile playing at the corner of her mouth.

“Oddly enough yes,” I replied, the irony not lost on me in my current situation. “I’m trying to find the, uh, the Duchess’s Golden Bed and Breakfast.”

“Oh why that’s a few blocks away, on Fairest Street. The Duchess is a truly magical place if I should say so myself. A fine establishment to be sure. If you’re staying long enough I would implore you to come back for a bite to eat here. I promise a better experience than your first,” the woman replied cloyingly before shooting Nate a quick glare. I don’t think I was supposed to see it but I did.

“I’m not sure how long I will be staying but I will take you up on your offer at some point in my stay,” I replied as smoothly as I could. I didn’t know how to act around this woman; I felt the ridiculous urge to straighten my appearance and bow. Which was above and beyond absurd. 

“Well most people never stay for very long here in Wonder Heights, always moving on to more important things in their lives,” the woman answered with a closed mouth smile. I momentarily wondered if the woman even know _how_ to really smile.

“Luckily I’m not most people,” I replied, trying to keep the snark from my voice.

“Apparently not,” the woman replied just as crisp and cold. An air of tense silence seemed to settle over the three of us after her comment.

“So, just a few blocks away?” I asked, hoping to get proper directions so I could get away from this eerie restaurant. I was willing to chalk most of it up to the current state of my nerves but it didn’t erase the fact that I just wanted to settle in already.

“Oh of course. Nine? Would you please give this girl here directions to Duchess’s place? See you again dear,” the lady replied crisply, motioning with one quick action of her wrist to someone farther in the restaurant. Nine? Was she referring to a person, or a number? My first question was answered when a gentleman appeared dressed smartly in all black waiters’ attire. My second question was answered when I saw that on his left breast was a bright red number nine embroidered onto the black material of his shirt. Right next to what appeared to be a club, like in a deck of cards. This restaurant was getting more absurd by the moment.

“If you’ll follow me to the corner ma’am I shall direct you towards the Duchess’s,” Nine said politely as he started to steer me just there. But not before I looked back over my shoulder to see the sharp lady leaning close to Nate giving him what looked like a private very stern talking to.

“So you’ll need to walk down to the end of this street. . .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know this is kinda SHORT and for that I apologize greatly.  
> But this was the only place I could cut it to make it make any sense.
> 
> Also. . . I wanted to know if you guys reading it were catching my references to Alice in Wonderland.  
> Some are fairly obvious, like a 2x4 to the back of the head.  
> Some are a little softer like her train ride signifying her fall down the rabbit hole.  
> And other a bit more hidden.  
> I don't plan on changing my written references but I just wanted to make sure you guys were getting them.  
> Or at least some of them!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when a father leaves his daughter mysterious letters about a place that doesn't exist on any map? What could possibly happen to someone who packs up their life, packs up their car and decides that this mysterious Wonder Heights MUST be where their long lost father is located after all these years?
> 
> Welcome to the world of Wonder Heights, where the tea is peculiar, the tarts are delicious and nothing is as it seems.

When I had finally spotted the Duchess’s and made my tired way in front of it on the sidewalk side of the white picket fence lining its front yard I had to stop and stare a little. I was tired, I was stressed, grumpy and maybe even still a little shell shocked but not even all of that was enough to mess with my vision. And if that was the case I was standing in front of the most cliché quintessential looking bed and breakfast I had ever seen. It looked like it had come directly out of a book, or a magazine, or even a fairy tale. There was a _huge_ front yard that looked to be manicured within an inch of its natural life, with perfectly sculpted flower beds and winding stone paths to what one could only assume to be shaded nooks with benches. The house, if I could call what I was staring at a house, was larger than life. And so perfect looking it almost made my teeth ache. It was painted a spritely yellow just this shade of a gold hue and latticed with perfect white trim cut into what looked like intricate patterns. The front of the building was shaded just right by huge looming weeping trees to cast just the perfect amount of shade and there was a porch that looked to wrap around the entirety of the house. I could even spy elegant rocking chairs! What Motel 6 could ever compete with this? No wonder there wasn’t anywhere else to stay for visitors in this town! I mean even the white picket fence looked freshly painted, not a speck of dirt or grass stain in sight.

Closing my jaw I shouldered my duffle again and made my way up the crushed stone driveway, all I wanted was a room with a bed to throw myself into. I did take a moment to gaze at the sumptuous golden cat that was curled in a sleeping position on the sign above the elegant screen door stating the name of the bed and breakfast. The owner must really love cats, for even the delicate golden knob on the screen door was that of the head of a cat. Sighing I took hold and of it and made my way inside.

As I entered the foyer of the B &B I stood in awe. There was gold simply _everywhere_ in the décor! The inside almost clashed with the feel of the outside of the place in its elegance but stopped just shy. The owner of this place most definitely had a flair for the elegant and opulent it seemed and while it seemed a bit much for my normal tastes there really wasn’t anything garish about it. _Yet_. If I had to go about my stay peeing on a golden toilet I might change my opinion on the matter.

“May I help you my dear?” a sultry voice purred from in front of me. What was it with people in this strange little town sounding like they were purring? Peeling my eyes of the décor of the place I focused my attention the direction of the voice. Leaning elegantly behind a glorified front desk was the most statuesque woman I had ever seen. And unless this place forced its staff to dress to the nines in yellow and gold I was assuming she owned the place. Though at most she could only be a few years older than me. If that! Golden blonde hair hung in loose wavy curls just past her shoulders, and while it looked natural and effortless I was betting on there being a ton of product in it to get it to look so. The woman was dressed more appropriately for New York or California then Wonder Heights. Wherever _that_ might actually be. Gold appeared to be her favorite color.

“Yes, I’m looking for a place to stay while I’m here in Wonder Heights,” I replied once I got over her appearance. I was starting to feel a little under dressed and starting to wonder just who inhabited this town.

“Well you’ve come to the right place then! I have plenty of rooms to rent while you’re here. Single, double? I have a beautiful single with a queen bed that overlooks the back gardens if you’re interested,” the woman supplied nicely, her words seemed to drip off her lips.

“That would be just perfect thank you,” I replied gratefully, things seemed to be looking up finally. Even if just for a little bit.

“How long do you plan on staying?” the woman asked silkily as she started typing on a computer hidden behind her desk.

“A week at least, maybe longer. In truth I’m not sure exactly how long I will be staying as I don’t necessarily know what I’m doing here,” I replied honestly. A place of temporary residence was not a place to start sliding around the truth of one’s situation, especially when it was the only one in the area.

“A week, really? My, my, my. Just about no one ever stays in Wonder Heights that long, let alone longer. What did you say your purpose for being in Wonder Heights was again?” the woman purred as she leaned across the desk towards me.

“I didn’t,” I replied offhandedly.

“Well I’ll give you a special rate for a week and at the end of that week we will revisit the matter of your stay here alright?” she asked, sounding like the cat that just found the cream.

“That sounds delightful,” I replied with a smile. It really did sound delightful, not only getting a special rate on my initial week here but the chance to revisit how much I was paying after that. If I was still here at the end of a week that is, I was hoping I wasn’t. But something told me that my search for my father here in this weird little town was going to be harder than it had been up to this point. I handed over my credit card when the woman asked for it and took my time looking around again. Everything was so, well so _shiny_. It made me feel grubby after spending over night on a train.

“Your middle name is Alice?” the woman asked with a raised questioning eyebrow as she peered down at my credit card, temporarily interrupting my wandering gaze.

“Oh huh? Mhm it is,” I replied absentmindedly before going back to scoping the place out.

“Here’s your room key, room number 213 on the second floor. And if you are looking for a really nice place for dinner you should try Red’s. Well it’s really called The Red Restaurant but everyone around here just calls it Red’s. I can give you directions if you want as it’s a superb place to eat here,” the golden woman offered as she handed me my room keys and my credit card.

“That’s alright; I already know where it is. Thank you though,” I offered, trailing off as I realized I still didn’t know this woman’s name.

“My name’s Duchess hun, and don’t you worry about a thing. If you need anything or want to know about anything just ask me, I know all there is to know about this town,” Duchess answered with a wink and a smile. Duchess couldn’t be her first name right?

“Ani. And thank you,” I offered, deciding it best to give her my name as well even if she had just read it off of my credit card. With a nod Duchess’s direction I made my way the direction she had pointed me when she had handed me my stuff. I wanted to run my fingertips along the walls, to feel if the wallpaper really was embossed like it looked but figured it would look a little off if she caught me. So instead I heaved all my things off towards where my illustrious bedroom awaited and where I could take a shower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's so short everyone!  
> I've had a week from hell and this was the only place I could separate what I had written for it to make any sense.  
> I apologize for it's length again.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when a father leaves his daughter mysterious letters about a place that doesn't exist on any map? What could possibly happen to someone who packs up their life, packs up their car and decides that this mysterious Wonder Heights MUST be where their long lost father is located after all these years?
> 
> Welcome to the world of Wonder Heights, where the tea is peculiar, the tarts are delicious and nothing is as it seems.

After I stepped out of my gloriously long and hot shower I temporarily felt a little guilty, it felt like I must have used up their entire water supply for how long I had been in there. But as the water temperature and pressure hadn’t changed once I convinced myself to get over it as I blew dry my hair. I had been mostly right about my room; it was very extravagant but still fit with the feel of the B&B’s exterior. And while there was most definitely gold present in the decorating scheme of my bedroom the colors pale blue and white predominantly prevailed. It was all together pleasant in the end. And the view, well the view would have been worth having to pee in a golden toilet with cat figurines everywhere. It was this scenery I was looking at through my beautiful white French doors as I combed out the knots in my hair still wrapped in my towel.

_**“The rabbit-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way, and then dipped suddenly down, so suddenly that Alice had not a moment to think about stopping herself before she found herself falling down a very deep well.**_

_**Either the well was very deep, or she fell very slowly, for she had plenty of time as she went down to look about her and to wonder what was going to happen next. First, she tried to look down and make out what she was coming to, but it was too dark to see anything; then she looked at the sides of the well, and noticed that they were filled with cupboards and book-shelves; here and there she saw maps and pictures hung upon pegs. She took down a jar from one of the shelves as she passed; it was labeled 'ORANGE MARMALADE', but to her great disappointment it was empty: she did not like to drop the jar for fear of killing somebody, so managed to put it into one of the cupboards as she fell past it.”** _

_“What a terrifying fall that must have been don’t you think my little Ani? Tumble bumble, pell mell down the Rabbit’s hole!” dad offered with a smile as he gazed at me, my favorite bedtime story in his lap._

_“I wouldn’t have been afraid!” I stated quite proudly._

_“Not even of the dark? Or of falling for so long?” my dad asked as he brushed hair off my face, tucking a stray clump behind my ear._

_“No! I’m not afraid of the dark! It would be an adventure to fall down the Rabbit’s hole!” I exclaimed proudly._

_“But you don’t know where the fall down the hole will end! It could dump you in the ocean! Or on a snow covered mountain! What if it dumped you into the desert! Or on the moon! You never know!” my dad replied. How could he not remember!_

_“Yes I do! It ends with a tea party with the Mad Hatter!” I giggled at my dad’s silliness._

_“And maybe one day, just one day you’ll find your very own Rabbit hole adventure to fall down my dearest and very own little Alice,” my dad answered softly before kissing my head. I tugged on his bowtie before yawning. . ._

I awoke with a sudden intake of breath; I hadn’t even remembered falling asleep! Looking down at myself I noticed that thankfully my towel was still wrapped around my frame keeping me covered. Silly thought since I didn’t think anyone was going to burst into my room at any time but still reassuring. Shaking off the after effects of my sudden nap I got up and went to find clothes. I didn’t often dream of my dad before this trip but it seemed searching for him had brought the old memories and dreams to the forefront of my brain. Sniffling I wiped under my eyes and went about unpacking. I was going to be here at least a week and that meant I could take my clothes out of my awkward assortment of luggage and put them away in proper drawers. Living out of one’s luggage gets a little old sometimes. 

It seemed to still be sometime in the afternoon, if not early evening so I decided to head back into the town. I wasn’t going to accomplish anything important today in regards of finding out anything about my dad so getting a lay of the land so to speak sounded like the best plan to me. Besides, people were more willing to help someone out or answer questions when it was a face they had at least seen on the street once. With one last sigh as I finished tucking the last of my items away in my dresser and armoire I went about the task of getting dressed.

Rummaging around my newly put away clothes I made a mess as I took out the clothes I was going to wear. I never was one for order, more like organized chaos. I slid on my signature black and white striped tights, going for ones with the feet still attached since I planned on wearing my boots. I tossed on my short, well short by my standards, black canvas shorts followed by a gray t-shirt with a question mark gracing the front. It seemed fitting enough for me since right now I seemed to be nothing more than a giant walking question. I tossed my white and blue hair up into a messy ponytail whose end just grazed between my shoulder blades when put up high. I dug for my black eyeliner and put it on without using a mirror as I dug around for my studded belt to keep my ass from peaking over the tops of my shorts when I sat down. Body done, just enough to be me without possibly scaring the locals I tossed on my black combat boots, not really bothering lacing them, before grabbing my bag and heading out.

As I made the front desk area I noticed that Duchess was absent and as I caulked an ear to the side I couldn’t really hear any telltale signs that she was indoors. Figuring her to be about somewhere I left and let the screen door close behind me as I took in the grounds in front of me. Breathing deeply I let it out slowly as I scanned the manicured lawn and pruned bushes.

“Wonder Heights huh?” I asked the air as my eyes finally stopped on the sidewalk that was to be destination.

“Oh shit!” I exclaimed as my brain finally caught up to the rest of me. “Sam and Mills are going to be bat shit crazy at this point!” I gushed as I dug out my phone from my bag.

“Shit,” I swore as looked down at my phone. Wonder Heights apparently seemed to be a giant black hole of cell service, not a bar to be had. And I had fantastic nationwide coverage too! Biting my lip I stuck my now useless-except-as-an-alarm-clock phone back in my bag and prayed that it was only the B &B that was a black hole of reception and not the entire town. Sighing I made my way to the sidewalk, thankful that I had least managed to still have my camera in my purse. Today’s walk seemed like a good time to take photos as I didn’t think I was going to get much accomplished until tomorrow.

Taking out my baby I started looking at this walk through my wannabe photographer’s eye, looking for the photos amidst all the rest. This would more than likely double the time it took me to get back into town, but oddly enough would help me learn my way around better. If I was concentrating on noticing things to photograph that stood out to me I was more than likely to remember how to get to that spot. It was like creating my own landmarks in a sense, otherwise I would get horribly lost no matter where I was. Part of the problem with this method was that I more often than not lost sight of the bigger world around me, which is a nice way of saying I would run into things or trip constantly. Which is why I was half kneeling on the sidewalk grumbling over a sore knee when I saw the _perfect_ picture opportunity staring directly at my ankles. A little kid with an adorable imagination must live close by because there in someone’s white picket fence was the tiniest arched door, couldn’t be more than four inches tall. I snapped a few photos of it, it looked _so_ real I could’ve sworn it would open if I touched it. Biting my lip I reached out to touch it, even though I knew it wasn’t real. But before my fingers could brush against the realistic tiny doorknob I felt a rush of air blow past me right before something solid knocked into my bent knee and sent me flailing into the grass in front of the fence I had been reaching for.

“Hey!” I sputtered out indignantly as I pushed hair out of my eyes so I could see what had almost run me flat over. Now both of my knees hurt!  
My now two sore knees were soon forgotten as I realized that I was basically right in town again without even knowing it. I couldn’t even explain how I had made it here without knowing it or even paying attention. But what got me the most was what apparently had almost run me over in _their_ haste! There standing not ten feet from me, looking over his shoulder, was a disheveled looking male with a fedora like hat stuck on the back of his head. From the rolled up sleeves, the apron down the front of him, the confused un-focused set to his eyes and the wheelie of boxes he was holding still I could only assume he was a delivery boy of some sorts.

“Did you not see me?” I asked, a still indignant tone to my question, as I stood and brushed myself off and made sure my camera was still intact. I looked up from my baby only to catch the delivery boy’s eyes and hold them. Brown maybe? Maybe hazel? Intense was the only thing I could discern.

“No,” was all he replied before breaking eye contact and hurrying off in whatever direction his important delivery was taking him.

“Some people!” I scoffed as I placed my camera back in my bag for safe keeping in case I was run over by any other of the town’s inhabitants as I made my way into the populated streets. It sounded so normal, people calling out to one another, walk signs beeping to pedestrians, birds scaring off a sidewalk as a passerby neared them. And yet in the hum of everything going on in the town center I couldn’t quite hear the undertone of a running engine, nor did I see any cars speeding down the streets. It almost made the sounds of the town stick out that much more, like the way I would presume a movie set sounded like. And as I took in the sights, sounds and smells going on around me it almost felt like a movie set. I was shaken from my reverie when my stomach grumbled loudly at me. It was sometime after lunch and I had eaten, well I hadn’t eaten since my weird train ride here.

“Where to eat tummy, where to eat. Hmmm,” I pondered as I looked around at my options. I knew of the Red Restaurant but after my earlier run in with the staff I decided that maybe I would put off visiting there until a later time. Realizing that meant I had to find a new and different place I looked around me with a new pair of eyes, eyes on the prowl for food of some sort even though I had plenty back in my room from Sarah’s. 

“Looking for anything in particular?” a familiar voice purred from just off to my right. Turning towards the tenor purr I spotted the shabby yet aristocratic looking man from before at the information booth. His purple shirt was still just as intense and his fingertips were still stained with black ink, guess I hadn’t imagined him. Though how I could have imagined a human who looked so absolutely feral and just this side of insane is beside me.

“Well as you were _so_ helpful the last time, yes I am. I’m looking for somewhere to eat,” I replied off handedly.

“Well there is always the Red,” the mad started to reply but I cut him off with a raised hand.

“I’d like to avoid the Red Restaurant for now if I could. Does Wonder Heights have any other eating establishment?” I asked with a sigh, the way this man stared at me made me uncomfortable. Uncomfortable in the sense that he knew something that I did not and that for some reason I needed that information, it was quite aggravating actually. And I figured that he always talked in riddles or verse if given the chance, the chance I was hoping to not give him.

“There are quite a few around. What are you looking for?” the man asked, if he had whiskers I would have sworn they would have twitched when he asked me. If I had thought about it I could’ve sworn he wasn’t asking me what type of food I was looking for. Wait whiskers? I needed to up my blood sugar soon it seemed if I was imagining people with whiskers all of a sudden. Then right before I was about to answer with some benign answer I remembered Sarah back in Ending and that tart she had said came from here.

“Actually if you could point me in the direction of the White Bakery that would suit me just fine as I can just eat there,” I answered, feeling rather proud of myself for knowing the name of an establishment in this new town and hoping I didn’t sound as lost as I had before.

“Interesting, avoiding the Red and going for the White already. Have you been here before my sweet?” the man asked in a purr.

“I’m not avoiding anything really, just a friend told me about the bakery and I figured I’d go eat there and save you the hassle of having to list off other places to eat. And I’ve just arrived today as you well know, and I’ve never been here before in my life,” I offered, hand going to my stomach as it rumbled again.

“Are you quite sure my dear?” he purred at me.

“Yes, quite. Now the White Bakery?” I asked, hoping to get him to the point. One more minute of his awkward questions and I was just going to go off on my own as I had previously planned.

“Well I could give you directions to the bakery but it wouldn’t do much good unless you plan on eating on the go. But I can direct you to one place that sells the White’s goods amongst other things that you could sit and enjoy a cup of tea at the very least,” the man replied with a slow wide grin. He looked positively wicked almost.

“Perfect. That will do just nicely,” I replied with a grateful sigh. I was just grateful that there was food in my future and I had avoided another riddle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is one of my favorites.  
> Hands down.   
> Just is.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when a father leaves his daughter mysterious letters about a place that doesn't exist on any map? What could possibly happen to someone who packs up their life, packs up their car and decides that this mysterious Wonder Heights MUST be where their long lost father is located after all these years?
> 
> Welcome to the world of Wonder Heights, where the tea is peculiar, the tarts are delicious and nothing is as it seems.

“Huh, no wonder he just gave me directions. Who names a café 10/6 anyways?” I found myself grumbling as I stood in front of the place the awkward disheveled man in purple had sent me. Figuring just to walk in I opened the door only to have it chime my entrance.

“Hello, hello, hello! Welcome to 10/6 Tea Shop and Café!” a voice piped up from somewhere in front of me in the café. Well “tea shop” apparently too. Looking in I saw a very exuberant looking girl bouncing in place behind a counter besides a glass food case. She couldn’t be that far out of her teens, if at all. And as she bounced in place, a large grin portraying the largest two front teeth I had ever seen, the two pigtails on top of either side of her head seemed to wave erratically about. I caught myself grinning as she bounced in place as I walked up to the counter.

“Hi, I was told I could grab a bite to eat here,” I said with my own giant grin.

“Huh?” the girl asked from behind the counter. Could she be completely oblivious already? I mean I did just walk in and this was a café or what have you.

“Food. I’m hungry,” I offered in short responses as I mimed eating something with my hands.

“Oh yeah, I forgot. I’m sorry. What would you like?” the girl asked, her hyper tone back as she started to shift from one foot to the other.

“Well what do you have?” I asked as I leaned onto the counter a little and put forth my most friendly smile.

“Oh well we have so many delicious goodies from Miriem, she’s the lady that runs the White Bakery up a few streets. They’re so tasty. Oh and we have, uhhh other food too! We have sandwiches, and salads, which are my particular favorite besides the baked goods. And I think they’re might be a soup today. I don’t really know. I mean I know that I said we should also sell regular food besides the baked goods from Miriem, and I get that it was my idea but he can’t expect me to keep track of _everything_ by myself. I mean gosh, so I let the soup burn once and a while, it’s not my fault I forgot it was cooking on, oh I’m sorry I was rambling wasn’t I?” the girl offered sheepishly as she trailed off her continuous thought process. The glazed look in my eyes as she started going off on her tangent must have cued her in. She seemed to bottle energy or at least hyperness. 

“No, no that’s quite fine. I was just wondering, uh, if you hadn’t opened to sell food why did you open a café?” I asked, slightly confused as I tried to go back over everything she had said at a million miles an hour.

“We’re not a café silly, well not really. Didn’t you see when you came in?” the girl asked with a raised eyebrow and I swear her nose twitched up and down just the slightest.

“See what?” I asked, still reeling from her rapid monologue that she had fired at me at the speed of sound.

“ _That_ silly,” the girl offered before directing my attention with a wave of her hand. My eyes followed but soon my body had to as well as my eyes alone wouldn’t be able to take in everything I was being shown.

“Oh my,” I whispered as I felt my eyes trail slowly around the café. She was right; they weren’t a café, well not really. There lining every wall, almost floor to ceiling, were beautiful shelves holding glass jars full of _**tea**_. There was tea as far as the eye could see! I never knew so many teas existed in the world let alone one little town! Fresh beautiful looking tea sat in glass jars, each and every one perfectly and clearly labeled. And now that I saw it all clearly I could smell the aroma in the air. Not a cloying heavy awkward smell of a too many teas combining in the air, no. But a distinct smell of hot water, green and black tea leaves, maybe rose petals and something fruity. It was glorious.

“We’re a tea shop silly,” the girl offered, a smile in her voice even though I couldn’t see her face.

“Wow, I,” I started to ask but caught myself trailing off as I took in more and more of the tea lining the shop.

“Dorman I thought I told you to wipe down the stupid tables!” was barked from behind me, breaking me out of my daze. Jumping and turning quickly to see who had bellowed I saw no one other than the girl who I had been talking to before. Before I could say anything a little ball of mousy brown and gray streaked past me carrying what looked to be a wet rag. I watched as the little mop of ragged disheveled brown hair started wiping down the tables in the tea shop.

“Your little brother?” I asked the girl, trying to bridge the gap in her personalities.

“My cousin I think. I think…” the girl trailed off as if she didn’t actually know.

“You think? You don’t know if he’s your cousin or not?” I asked. How could someone not know if someone was a cousin or not? As much energy as this girl seemed to bundle inside herself she seemed a little bit airy upstairs.

“I’m pretty sure he’s my cousin. Or something like that. So what can I get you?” the girl asked, apparently momentarily forgetting the little boy she had ordered around not moments before.

“Well how about one of those salads you said you love so much, as well as one of the small heart tarts in the case. And as for tea, well I’m not all that versed in tea and you have so many here that I wouldn’t even begin to know where to start. So why don’t you pick out a tea for me as well,” I offered with a smile. I needed food and while this strange girl with the overly large front teeth was fun to talk to, it wasn’t getting my stomach any closer to being happy with me.

“I can get you that no problem! Just take a seat and I’ll be right with you with your tea. Oh and my name is Marney by the way!” the over excited girl offered as she stuck out a large hand for me to shake.

“Ani,” I replied in kind before she turned and almost bounced off into the kitchen area of the tea shop. So doing what she had suggested I went about finding a place for me to sit. Feeling the need to scope my nearby surroundings I decided on a table and chair near the large front window so I could people watch while I waited. As I wove my way to where I wanted to sit I almost tripped over the little boy Marney had sent out to wipe down the tables. Dorman I think his name was? Apparently he had fallen asleep while working! Who even does that? But nonetheless, there he was, slumped over the table, half sitting in a chair, completely passed out on his small arms. Peering down at the little mousey brown haired boy I smiled a little, he looked so peaceful even if he was asleep when he should be awake and working. Reaching down I placed a hand on his shoulder gently.

“Dorman? Dorman?” I asked as I gently shook the little boy. He couldn’t be more than nine years old or so. Finally he stirred under my hands and sleepily the little boy looked up at me.

“Hmm?” Dorman asked sleepily, his eyes barely cracked open at his question and I caught myself mid gasp.

“Your eyes are pink!” I stammered out as the boy Dorman sleepily blinked at me before rubbing his astoundingly colored eyes.

“Mhmm. Like a mouse,” he replied with a sleepy grin before standing up and going to another table to continue his job of wiping the rest of them down.

“People here are certainly weird,” I caught myself sighing as I chose an overstuffed chair by the window with a small table perched at its elbow and slid into it. Placing my bag on the floor at my feet I stuck my camera in the chair with me, nestled between me and an overstuffed chair arm, safe from harm. Without much else to do but wait I bent over and pulled my trip journal out of my purse and placed it on my lap, cracking it open to a random section. I was pulled from my browsing when I heard the rattling of a teacup in a saucer at my elbow.

“Here you go, I got you a small pot instead of just a cup. Tea is much better that way,” Marney said with a smile as she motioned at the small white round little porcelain tea pot she placed on my table along with the rest of my order. I inhaled as she poured me a steaming cup of the tiny little pot’s contents.

“That smells divine! What is it?” I asked as I inhaled again, this time with my eyes closed. The smell almost reminded me of something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

“It’s lavender, mugwort, chamomile, peppermint, passion flower and rose hip powder,” Marney replied with a happy grin as I watched her almost bounce in place. Good thing she was no longer holding my order or something would have dropped for sure!

“It smells delicious! It almost reminds me of something…” I trailed off as I held the cup to my face and breathed in it’s aroma once again.

“Well that’s because it’s a tea some use for dreaming, or for dreams in general. It’s also a tea for…”

“Remembering,” a distinctively male voice finished for Marney. I snapped my eyes open at the intruder’s voice.

“HATTER!” Marney squeaked before bounding, yes she definitely bounded, over to the man who had spoken. I watched as she threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around him. The man, Hatter I assumed, lifted one of his arms and patted Marney on the back as he smiled ever so slightly into the top of the exuberant girl’s head. Marney eventually disengaged herself from the man and bounded back to the counter and I simply stared at him as if I knew him. But that would be preposterous as I knew no one in this town. He must have felt me staring because he started re-rolling up his sleeves before he readjusted the fedora like hat resting on the back of his head as if he was nervous. Wait. Fedora like hat!

“Hey! You’re the guy that nearly ran me over! No wait, you _DID_ run me over!” I accused, my tea still in my hands.

“Sorry,” the guy answered as if he either didn’t care or didn’t remember before he walked off towards the counter where Marney had gone. I humphed in response before sipping my tea and then placing the cup down on its saucer.

“Nice tights,” the guy said, almost as if a side note, with his back still facing me.

"Thanks," I grumbled into my lap before taking up my fork and stabbing into my salad viciously. Something about the man named Hatter rubbed me the wrong way. It could have just been his off handed rudeness, or the fact that he nearly ran me over and didn't quite care much. But I didn't think that was all, there was something more. Something in his eyes that I caught in the few moments I had seen them. There was no life in them, he stared out at the world as if lost. There was no light behind their hazel color, no spark. It was if he had lost something and because of it he wasn't _here_ in a sense. Or maybe he was just a sour person. Whatever it was he just rubbed me the wrong way and so I took it out on my salad. My poor defenseless salad.

As I ate my salad in silence, my attention focused itself inside the cafe instead of outside of it as I had originally intended. My ears took over as my eyes kept themselves downward so as to avoid notice. I loved to people watch, I just hated to be caught at it.

"Marney, I told you to stop hugging me," the man called Hatter whispered not so softly over by the counter.

"You did? Are you sure? I don't remember..." Marney drawled out, her sentence floating off into obscurity.

"I did," Hatter sighed. I could almost hear the the deflated set to the man's shoulders that I couldn't see.

"Ohhh..." Marney drawled out, her response drifting off into nothing, more than likely along with her attention to the topic.

"Go get Dorman and carry him out back. Let the kid sleep. I'll unload this and take out the trash for you before I head out for Miriem again," Hatter said softly. There was a temporary kindness in his voice as he spoke to Marney. For a delivery boy he was sure being awfully friendly to Marney. Maybe they were dating? No. Possibly family? Something. There was something there between the phantom of a man in a fedora hat with lost eyes and the overly hyper girl with the unfortunately large rabbit teeth and ridiculously high pigtails.

Rabbit teeth.

I snorted a partial chuckle as the thought finally settled in my head. Her front teeth reminded me of rabbit's teeth.

"Something funny?" Hatter spoke in question, all of a sudden close to where I was sitting.

"No. Sorry. Nothing. Just thinking," I sputtered as I went back to my salad.

"Hmm. Maybe you should drink you're tea, you've obviously forgotten something," Hatter offered in a clipped manner before wiping his hands on his apron to wipe whatever invisible substance was on them that was bothering him. I didn't reply, I simply went for my cup of tea and brought the perfumed drink to my lips in silence. I felt that not replying to the ever so incredibly rude delivery boy was better then saying something I may regret later on in my stay in this very tiny town. I peered out of the corner of my eyes to watch Hatter wheel his full trolley out back into the bowels of the tea shop before disappearing.

Definitely something off putting about that guy. But not in a run for the hills kind of way. More like a failed attempt at a sneeze kind of off putting way. This whole town was like that actually the more I thought about it as I sipped my tea and tried to remember what I hadn't even realized I had forgotten.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when a father leaves his daughter mysterious letters about a place that doesn't exist on any map? What could possibly happen to someone who packs up their life, packs up their car and decides that this mysterious Wonder Heights MUST be where their long lost father is located after all these years?
> 
> Welcome to the world of Wonder Heights, where the tea is peculiar, the tarts are delicious and nothing is as it seems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this isn't really a chapter.  
> It's more like a blurb of a chapter.  
> Absolutely pathetic actually and I apologize HORRIBLY!
> 
> When my laptop got fried by the virus I not only lost almost 3 weeks worth of writing time but I sadly lost ALL of my writing on this story. And all my notes and everything are not within my reach. So I have nothing of this story right now except for what is right here. I'm searching frantically for all my notes so I can continue writing this story.  
> Because out of all of my stories, this one is kind of my baby. I always dreamed of writing my own version of Alice in Wonderland and so my notes are not only extensive but also something I have compiled over many years. So you can see why I hesitate to continue without them.
> 
> But I hope this little blurb will tide you amazing people over until I can find my real notes and get you guys a heavy dose/flood of new chapters.
> 
> Thank you all for being so understanding and I am sorry if I lose any of you because of this little snafu!

“Marney?” I called out once I had finished my meal and my tea. Whether or not the tea would actually work was yet to be decided.

“Mmm?” Marney’s distracted voice called out from the bakery counter where I saw her spinning a spoon through her fingers when I turned around to look at it.

“Marney is there a place where I could ask some questions, or place some inquiries, and possibly get some answers?” I asked as I started to bus my own table.

“What kind of questions?” Marney asked with a yawn as she suddenly lost her grip on her spoon, sending it flying off in some helter skelter direction. She didn’t seem to mind as she simply picked up a tea cup by it’s delicate handle and started twirling it in the same manner. I felt the tea cup was in grave danger but decided to hold my tongue on the matter.

“Just any sort of questions. Questions about Wonder Heights mainly, general things,” I finished lamely as I realized I didn’t have any specific questions, at least not yet.

“Well you could visit the bookstore, the owner knows lots of things. Must be all those terrible books he has lying about. Words give me a terrible headache, all that remembering and knowing and remembering. Did I say remembering? Well yes, terrible headache. But I can show you the way, bring you to meet him,” Marney answered with a terribly violent twist of the tea cup she was violently mishandling. I swallowed rather loudly as it flipped end over end in the air before she caught it quite deftly before placing it down on the counter and looking me directly in the eyes. Her eyes took on a rather fierce and intense focus as she waited for my answer, as if what I said next held some sort of importance.

“Yes. I would like that very much,” I said delicately as I placed my dirtied dishes in a plastic tub with others. As I answered I watched Marney’s eyes shift back to their normal slightly out of focus state, their twinkle coming back as she straightened rather quickly and grinned enormously at me.

“Splendid. Spectacular. Callooh, callay! Dormie watch the store I’ve got an adventure afoot!” Marney exclaimed loudly as she hopped around the counter and grabbed my arm rather violently as she dragged me towards the front door of the cafe. Errr… tea shop.

“What?” I stumbled out as she dragged me, I couldn’t figure out what she had said. It had sounded rather like a foreign language but something about it seemed familiar. But I couldn’t put my finger on it.

“Come on, come on! No time to waste!” Marney sang with a lopsided grin as she continued to tug on my arm.

“But my things!” I stated frantically as I pointed at my things sitting in my chair that I was being dragged passed so hurriedly.

“Oh if you must,” Marney sighed as she suddenly dropped my arm, causing me to almost stumble over my own feet. With a rub to get feeling back into my arm I rushed over to grab my things, placing my camera securely in my bag before hurrying back towards the impatient Marney.

“Ready? I can’t be gone long. It’s almost tea time and Dormie is an awful at watching the place, always falling asleep in the tea. Terrible,” Marney explained with a sigh before grabbing my arm forcibly once again and dragging me towards the door.

“Come on, come on. Hurry, hurry! Mustn’t keep him waiting! Or maybe it’s us that need to wait? Oh I do hope the scones come in…” Marney trailed off. Her mind seemed to never be able to focus on one thing for very long.

“He who?” I asked as I tried to keep up so as not to trip and fall as we ran down the sidewalk, narrowly dodging stalls and people on it.

“You'll see!” Marney replied with a wide lopsided grin as she looked at me over her shoulder, her answer sounding rather like I should’ve known the answer already.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys hang in there with me on this journey down the Rabbit's hole. 
> 
> I will hopefully be updating this story once a week along with my other stories and you know working and having a life that involves video games. ;)


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